1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a laser operation device, and more particularly, to an insertion-type laser operation device capable of adjusting an irradiation direction of laser by using a lens.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to minimize sequel of surgical operation of a patient, in a surgical operation such as discectomy, a minimally invasive surgery in which a thin and long catheter is inserted into a human body is widely used.
In the discectomy, a catheter is generally inserted through the tail bone or the side of a human.
In order to remove a disc, a drug may be injected through a catheter, which however does not ensure an instant and precise effect, and thus a disc has been removed using a laser from the past.
Generally, the surgery in which a catheter is inserted through the tail bone and a disc is removed using a laser is called SELD (Sacrum Epiduroscopic Laser Decompression) surgery, and the surgery in which a catheter is inserted through the side of a human and a disc is removed using a laser is called TELA (Transforaminal Epiduroscopic Laser Annuloplasty) surgery.
A device for discectomy using a laser is configured so that an optical fiber for transmitting a laser beam is inserted into an elongated catheter which may be inserted into a narrow space in a human body, so that the laser is irradiated to a target through a tip of the catheter.
During the discectomy process, if an irradiation direction of laser is not in agreement with a location of a target, the irradiation direction of laser should be changed.
In the SELD surgery, the catheter is made of a flexible and bendable material, and thus generally a laser is steered by refracting a tip of the catheter or the optical fiber. However, it is difficult to control a direction of the tip, and an excessive refraction may damage the optical fiber and cause tissue damage or pain to a patient.
In the TELA surgery, the catheter is made of hard SUS, and thus in order to steer a laser, the optical fiber should be exchanged with another optical fiber having a different irradiation direction of laser beam, which is very inconvenient.